Raymond Wood

Obituary

Born in East Longmeadow MA on June 9, 1923 he was the son of the late Raymond and Marjorie (Lane) Wood. He was raised in East Longmeadow MA attending Public Schools and graduating from East Longmeadow Public High School.

In April of 1941 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. During the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor that started WWII Raymond was station on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk just...

Born in East Longmeadow MA on June 9, 1923 he was the son of the late Raymond and Marjorie (Lane) Wood. He was raised in East Longmeadow MA attending Public Schools and graduating from East Longmeadow Public High School.

In April of 1941 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. During the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor that started WWII Raymond was station on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk just off the Pearl Harbor coast. When the United States declared war he was transfer to the USS. Carmick, and later the USS. Uhlmann seeing action throughout many of the Pacific campaigns. His ship was in the escort squadron with the USS. Missouri when the Japanese surrender was signed in Tokyo Bay.

After the war Raymond returned to East Longmeadow, and worked as an Arborist, before joining the US Coast Guard in 1947. During his service in the US Coast Guard he was assigned to The North Truro Life Boat Station, the USS. Evergreen an International Ice Patrol ship out of Boston. During the Korean War he was in charge of a patrol craft responsible for security in Baltimore MD. In February of 1954, he was assigned to the Coast Guard Academy in New London Ct, where he advanced in rank to chief boatswain mate. His duties took him aboard the CGC Eagle, the academy's three-masted training Bark, as a seamanship instructor. He was also in charge of maintaining the academy's five racing yachts.

Medals awarded to him during his long armed services career include Good Conduct with 4 Bronze Stars, American Campaign Medal, European-Africa-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Occupation Medal, and Philippine Liberation Ribbon.

In 1964 Raymond retired from service, and became the owner, operator of DriftwoodCottage's on East Sandwich Beach,

Raymond is survived by this wife of 63 years Theresa M. Wood of Sandwich MA, a daughter Janet L. Gambaro (Wood) of Forestdale MA, three grandchildren Nina, Nicholas and Olivia Gambaro of Forestdale MA, and a brother Gilbert Wood of Barnstable MA.

A Remembrance of life will be held at the Massachusetts National Cemetery on Wednesday November 30, 2016 at 10:30am